Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Companies => Off-the-shelf companies => Black Cat Cricket => Topic started by: Black Cat Cricket on September 30, 2009, 02:02:32 PM
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Hi guys,
I saw a post about Black Cat Cricket from ages ago that I didn't notice at the time, and instead of resurrecting an old topic, I thought I'd start a new topic.
Black Cat has been going for a year now (I started it last year). Last year was a bit of a test the market year, this year will be more serious.
The bats are top notch, we only sell grade 1 stuff. The bats for 2010 will be the Shadow (which will have the same shape as the First Edition shown on the website) and the Joker (which will have a unique profile that is still work in progress...). The bats are handmade here in the UK, and we would be more than happy to sort out a custom made bat if someone wanted one. I also have my own willow tree plantation which I will be harvesting in the coming weeks hopefully...
I have no plans to make pads and gloves yet. The reason is simple- at best they will be as good as the bigger brands out there (who spend a lot of time and money designing and perfecting theirs), whereas I'm confident our bats are right up there with the best.
I'd be more than happy to answer any questions, either to my personal email address charlie@blackcatcricket.com, or on the thread here (please no more sponsorship applications though..!).
I'd like to extend to forum members a special price of £220 delivered for a bat (bats ordered in the next few weeks will have limited edition 'First Edition' stickers on). This will be the price for the Shadow bat for you guys next year as well (normal price £240), and I am yet to decide the price for the Joker.
Cheers,
Charlie
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Seems a bit expensive.
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Hi mdl_1979,
We feel £240 (or £220 for forum members) is a fair price considering the quality of the materials and the fact that each one is made from scratch by hand.
£240 seems very reasonable compared to the top of the range bats from the likes of Adidas, GN, GM, Kooka etc.
Cheers
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Do you make them yourself or is a company doing them for you?
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Perhaps compared to the big boys who spend a fortune on marketing. But that is not your competition - you are competing against the likes of Warsop, Redback, H4L etc. Even at 220 (your special offer) you're still 20% more expensive than those guys. Are your bats 20% better?
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They are contract made for us by a small company. When the new workshop is up and running, customers will be able to come down to have one custom made.
I'd love to have a go myself, but at the moment, I prefer to leave it to someone who really knows what he's doing..!
Cheers
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Perhaps compared to the big boys who spend a fortune on marketing. But that is not your competition - you are competing against the likes of Warsop, Redback, H4L etc. Even at 220 (your special offer) you're still 20% more expensive than those guys. Are your bats 20% better?
We genuinely believe so, and customers that have bought bats so far have owned Warsops and the like previously agree with us.
When we were approaching companies to make the bats for us, we spoke to a lot of the best batmakers in England, and tried out bats from most of them, but were so impressed with the quality of our current supplier that we teamed up with them.
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Yet Warsop bats or the Redback that I use are grade one, and I paid nowhere near 220. Who is making your bats that they are so much better than Gary's or Warsop's?
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Yet Warsop bats or the Redback that I use are grade one, and I paid nowhere near 220. Who is making your bats that they are so much better than Gary's or Warsop's?
I'm sure they are, but even in the 'grade 1' bracket, some bats perform better than others. Our bats have a great shape, are finished beautifully, and are pressed to perfection, to name just a few qualities. I can't say yet who is making our bats.
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Fair enough. Good luck to you. I'll stick with Redbacks for now!
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Redback's and Warsop's are pressed very well also. I would guess it's Newbery making the bats from the photo's, maybe I'm wrong though.
I think £220 you'll struggle to sell a large amount at, however if marketed correctly I guess you could become the Mercedes Benz of cricket bats.
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Must admit, i do like the shapes, but like others said, i think you will struggle to sell at that price.
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Redback's and Warsop's are pressed very well also. I would guess it's Newbery making the bats from the photo's, maybe I'm wrong though.
I think £220 you'll struggle to sell a large amount at, however if marketed correctly I guess you could become the Mercedes Benz of cricket bats.
... without the reliability issues of Mercedes Benz hopefully..! They're not Newbery, they nearly were though.
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For those that haven't seen the bats, here are some pics...
(http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/7426/profileblack.png)
(http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/1396/stickersblack.png)
(http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/1476/frontblack.png)
(http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/7336/frontcopyn.jpg)
(http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/4623/toeblack.png)
Cheers
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Fusion?
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I would of said the same.
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They're not made by anyone well known, so not Fusion.
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Choice?
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I think its time to stop guessing now, its not really in his or the company producing the bats best interests to reveal who they are!
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my guess would be Swami Ramdev
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How is old Swami, last saw him preparing for a world record attempt at solo swimming the Amazon in June? He was in the Thames doing 10 mile lengths.
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Babs' Swami is 56 I reckon, that's purely based on beard length alone....
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Why are you online when you have a Super Duper Scooper to sand?
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I'm doing Yoga before I start!!!
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Is someone watching Waybaloo?
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Please remain on topic or take it to PM guys... I for one don't have the foggiest what you are on about!
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Sorry Leo, we were just talking about an old Indian batmaker who is a bit mad and likes to take his time before batmaking with an hour or two of Yoga, I think Norb spent a few months with him in Meerut before he relocated to Eastbourne.
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he had a beard then as well..... I remember him saying, "I was once like you are now, and I know that it's not easy, to be calm when you've found something going on. But take your time, think a lot, why, think of everything you've got for you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not"
To stay on topic ----- Charlie liking the Black Cat cricket website and great very very professional pic's
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I like the sound of this man
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http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Slazenger-Hyper-Blade-Cricket-Bat-28-Jacques-Kallis_W0QQitemZ300365401054QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_SportingGoods_CricketBats_SM?hash=item45ef2c4bde (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Slazenger-Hyper-Blade-Cricket-Bat-28-Jacques-Kallis_W0QQitemZ300365401054QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_SportingGoods_CricketBats_SM?hash=item45ef2c4bde)
I didnt realise Black cat bats came in shrink wrap - what a tit!!! I would have words with this guy if i was you mr.munton!
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Doesnt seem to be shrink wrap on the bat... looks like cling film on the handle or something?
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ye, theres some on the handle, could be a black cat?
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No no no - the grip is a standard grip i have seen on a fair few pakistani bats, the profile aint the same and who the hell cling films a hande?????
The bloke has ripped off the shrink wrap, left it on the handle and just put some more expensive stickers on!
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Looks nothing like the profiles that charlie has on his website and willow looks poor.
And by the looks of the pictures, has been shrink wrapped over the entire bat.
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I hate people who do that sort of thing, shows how horrible people can be
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Definitely not a black cat. Looks like a cheap bit of rubbish, and someone is trying to jump on the fact that we are fast becoming known for making quality handmade bats.
He says the bat is a grade 2, yet we only sell grade 1. I have contacted him.
Thanks for spotting it though guys!
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If you read some of his old listings for bats, He says its a different bat but stickered as an adidas or whatever bat company he is selling it as, due to sponsorship reasons
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Yes, same old stuff coming up again!
He has clearly received my email, as the description has changed to 'back cat bats'- how imaginative.
Shame he declined my invite for a phone conversation though.
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no such thing as that
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Thing that gets me is he said he was sponsored but yet asked for a grade 2 bat with a huge knot on the face!! Think this guy has male genitalia attached to the wrong part of his body . . .his head!